Clarity
by SiaJane
Summary: Alexis is learning that life can be complicated at times, and finds herself searching for a little Clarity. Rated T for safety, may change to M in later chapters.
1. A Dinner Between Friends

_AN: Why hello there. Here's my first ever Castle fic. Fun fact: i've been referring to this fic in my head as 'Not What I Had In Mind', mostly because I sat down intending to write something for another fandom, and this is what came out. This story is Alexis-centric, but as a Caskett shipper I've been sprinkling in little Caskett cookies (sounds gross...) so those will be around for anyone looking for them. That said, this is not a Caskett fic, so if the cookies aren't enough for you, this probably isn't the story for you. _

_Setting is post-season 6 episode 10 as that's when I'm writing it, so spoilers up until that point are fair game. _

_Disclaimer: I Do Not own Castle. I've written my letter to Santa, and Castle was of course on it, but I don't have a chimney and let's face it, with great power comes great responsibility, and I don't think I'm ready for that one. So, in the meantime, I'm borrowing, taking a few characters out to play, and only taking the credit for the storyline. _

* * *

She's been in the restaurant for all of five minutes when her phone buzzes against her hip. With a sigh, Kate tugs it from her purse. Though the caller ID tells her it's Lanie's cell, she knows it won't be the medical examiner's voice that greets her.

"You're supposed to be in bed," she says, simply.

_"Momma, when home?"_

"Soon, Beautiful. I promise."

_"When soon?"_

She gives a small smile at the echo of her husband's tone in her daughter's voice. "After Alexis and I eat dinner."

There's a long suffering sigh on the other end of the phone. _"Long?"_

Glancing around the restaurant she catches sight of the redhead, gives a quick wave out of habit even though they sit in the same table every time. They'd discovered it while they were planning her and Castle's wedding, three and a half years ago. "Not too long, but I'll make you a deal: if you agree to be a good girl and go to bed now, I'll let you sleep in my and Daddy's bed."

_"Really?"_

"Really."

_"Lub you_," she says simply, and Kate has a feeling her daughter is already halfway to the bed before Lanie gets the phone to her ear.

_"Hey Kate, I'm so sorry she just-_"

"Lanie, it's fine. I told her she could sleep in my room for the night so go ahead and put her in there."

_"Alright sweetie, if you're sure. Have a good dinner."_

"Emily?" Alexis hedges a guess.

"Who else?" Kate says with a grin, rising from her chair meet Alexis in what amounts to an awkward side-hug. "Sorry," she apologizes, though she can't stop beaming, "seems the only hugs I can actually pull off these days are sloppy toddler-style side-hugs."

Alexis smiles, shakes her head as she shrugs off her coat before hanging it on the outside of their booth. With a nod towards Kate's midsection, her smile turns to a well meaning smirk. "Not that you don't look amazing, but don't you still have another couple months to go?"

Kate chuckles and rolls her eyes. "Ten weeks, to be exact. That is, if I don't explode first."

Alexis returns a laugh. "Dad still on his traditional mid-pregnancy book tour?"

"Mmhmm," Kate says with a grin. She's not sure it qualifies as a tradition if it's only happened twice, but he did do this last time. Well, to be fair, she may have called Paula in a fit of hormones and requested her husband be sent on a quick tour because she needed him out of her increasingly cramped personal bubble before she _used her homicide knowledge for evil_. "Nine days sounded great at the time, but I'm definitely ready for him to come home."

"Tomorrow?"

"Day after," the detective explains quickly, watching as Alexis settles in on the other side of the table, searching for any of indication of what has warranted this last minute girls only dinner. "How's Pi?"

"Busy," she answers simply, flipping open the familiar menu in front of her. "He leaves on Friday for that Eco-conference in Portland, so he'll be there for two weeks."

"Not joining him this year?"

"Between school and work I just can't swing it."

Kate nods, though she gets the feeling there's more to it than that. "I'm going to need garlic bread," she announces.

"You say that like we don't usually get that," laughs Alexis, closing her menu. "I'm thinking it's a fajita night."

"Oh! I forgot they had those here…" Kate mutters, flipping back through her menu. "No," she says after a moment's pause, "I'll stick with the chicken wrap. Been wanting one for days."

As if on cue, their server stops by for their orders, quickly returning to deliver their drinks.

"So Lanie is babysitting?"

Kate grins. "She and Javi. She's been insisting for weeks now that her maternal instincts have already kicked in so I may have used that to my advantage."

"I can't believe those two are having a baby," Alexis says with a smile.

"Neither can I," she laughs. The couple had been a never ending fountain of surprises in the last two years, from what looked to everyone as a hasty decision to buy an apartment together, to the 3am long distance call Kate received informing her they'd tied the knot in Vegas. She supposes, given their recent history, she shouldn't have been so surprised four months ago when she'd found an apparently calm - yet strangely demanding - Lanie at her door, drugstore bag in hand, requesting she send Castle out of the loft for an hour while she used their bathroom. "I swear, Espo just sits around the precinct waiting for someone to ask him about it so he can whip out that collection of sonogram shots he keeps on his phone."

"So cute," Alexis muses, turning quiet as she sips her glass of water. She takes a few soothing breaths, tries to steel her resolve so she can say what she needs to. She's thankful as always for Kate's detective skills as her father's third wife - and her own dear friend - patiently waits her out. "Pi asked me to marry him."

The words don't match Alexis' mournful tone of voice and it makes Kate cringe inwardly. Still, she schools her features, gives a small nod. "That's a big step," she comments, mentally notes that there is no ring on the younger woman's finger. "What did you say?"

Alexis sighs, gaze wandering around the restaurant before finding it's way back to Kate. "That I had to think about it."

"It is a big decision…" Kate begins, giving a small smile at the glare Alexis gives her. "Alright, talk to me."

She shrugs. "It's just, I don't know. Things have been… different between Pi and I lately, and I just wonder…"

"If his proposal has more to do with fixing the way things are than actually wanting to get married?"

Alexis nods. "I know, it sounds crazy. I mean, we've been together for over four years now, and in my head it seems logical. I'm 23 years old, we've been living together for about as long as we've been a couple, he's well educated and has a good career…"

"But…" Kate prompts.

"But," Alexis says, simply.

Kate thanks their server when their food arrives, can't help but take a bite out of a large, crusty chunk of garlic bread before turning her attention back to Alexis. "Alexis, do you want to marry Pi?"

"I… not with the way things are right now," she whispers, picking at her own plate of food. Between small bites of food she explains their current situation - the tension, the distance. Explains that it's not so much that they argue, they just don't seem to be on the same page at the moment and mentions she's considered couple's therapy, though she's yet to pitch that idea to Pi.

Kate takes it all in, shakes her head violently when Alexis begins to backtrack, saying therapy is probably a silly idea since they are, after all, really just dating. "Alexis, couple's therapy isn't just for old married couples. If you're not happy, it might be worth a shot."

The redhead sighs. "And what if it doesn't help?"

"Then it doesn't. As someone who has been to therapy - granted never as a part of a couple - I can tell you it's not a cure-all. But, if you're willing to honestly put in the work, it can help you find some sense of clarity," she advises, pausing as she takes in the nervous look in her dinner date's eyes.

"Even if that clarity involves breaking up?" It's half question, half statement as Alexis completes Kate's thought. "So, you're telling me to try therapy?"

The detective sighs, shakes her head. "No, I'm saying it can be helpful. I can't tell you what to do here, Alexis. You're smart, you'll make the right choice for you."

Kate watches as Alexis gives a small nod, a tentative smile. "Thank you," she says quietly.

"Anytime."

Alexis blows out a breath, fiddles with the fork on the table in front of her. "I guess that just leaves one more thing to discuss." As Kate raises an eyebrow in question, Alexis shoots her a lighthearted smile. "What to have for dessert."

* * *

Alexis returns home to a quiet apartment. It's not long after 10pm, but she imagines Pi is already asleep. As his current project at work requires waking before the sun, he's usually in bed early in the evening. It works well, she tells people, because she typically uses her evenings for quiet study time anyway. Truthfully, the silence nags her. Plays in her mind on repeat and quiet study tends to turn to a head full of questions and not a single answer. She's wrapped up in thought as she hangs her coat on it's hook by the door before moving further into the apartment. As she drops her purse haphazardly on the sofa - the one they'd accepted as a housewarming gift from her father in order to replace their squishy futon when they moved into a slightly bigger place - a rustle from the next room catches her attention and she nearly jumps.

"Hey, you're home," Pi's voice is a little gravely, hair mussed and she can tell he just woke up.

"Hey. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she begins.

He's shaking his head, unruly curls bouncing every which way as he joins her in the living area. "You didn't." When she shoots him a disbelieving look he smiles. "Well, it's not so bad. I had planned on staying up until you got back anyway but it would seem my eyes had other ideas. No matter, I've got the day off tomorrow so what do you think, movie night?"

Alexis gives a soft smile but shakes her head. They've got some talking to do first.

* * *

_Care to Review?_


	2. Frosted Windows

_First, let me thank everyone for your follows/favourites/reviews. It's good to know someone actually read this. _

_Now, I feel I need to let everyone know this chapter is a little heavy on the Caskett. Definitely still an Alexis story, but it's a family kind of day in her life and that means Caskett is around. Also, possibly I couldn't resist dropping a little in. Just trust me, it's relevant. Also, it's a long one, and that's after I split thanksgiving into two chapters. No idea how that happened, I'm a max 2000 word chapter kinda gal. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. Just borrowing the characters. Well, except for Emily, she came from my overactive brain. I also don't own Goodnight Moon, not even a copy. If I owned any of those things, i'd be writing this from a beach somewhere, not my apartment in the middle of a snowstorm._

* * *

The glass is cold against her nose, foggy in front of her bright blue eyes. Still, she waits. Squints through the fog, wipes it off with the sleeve of her hooded Columbia University sweater - a gift from her big sister - and squints again. It's more than a little overcast outside, having rained much of the morning and previous night. Between the lack of sunlight and her admittedly poor vantage point, there isn't much to see. Still, she waits.

"What's the situation out there?" His voice is kind, warm against her cheek as he punctuates his question with a kiss.

She smiles, rubs her chilled nose against her sweater sleeve, and plants a small kiss on his cheek in return. "Not yet. Soon," she assures him.

He grins, reaches out to lift her to his hip but she's too quick. As she runs across the loft he literally hears the pitter patter of little feet and it has him laughing because it's such a fitting reflection of his life at the moment. His curiosity has him rooted to the spot as he waits to see what she's up to. He can't help the feelings that rise inside of him when he sees her tug her blankie across the living room to the entrance way, where she camps out, ear pressed to the door. She doesn't seem distressed - simply a little impatient - so he leaves her be. That is, after he captures a snapshot on his phone, sending it to his wife and returning to his post in front of the stove.

* * *

"You're lucky his lawyer isn't claiming we coerced that confession out of him," Kate scowls, though the entire precinct can see the smile that threatens.

"I'm sorry," Detective Ryan manages between snorts of laughter, "but it was effective, wasn't it?"

"Sure was!" pipes Detective Esposito, wiping tears of laughter from his face. "Did you see the look on his face when you sat down and didn't speak right away? I thought he was going to wet himself!"

Kate rolls her eyes as she settles into her desk chair, setting to work completing the day's paperwork. Since her desk suddenly feels overwhelmed with files, she moves her much loved picture frame from one end of her desk to the other, just to be safe. The photo - a quick snapshot of Castle sandwiched between his daughters as they plant a kiss on each of his cheeks - reminds her that this is definitely the kind of thing Castle would love to hear about. She's about to reach for her phone, thinking she'll drop him a quick text on the subject, when it chimes, displaying a message from the man in question. She lets out a small laugh at the photo that awaits her.

"Something to share with the class?"

Kate nods, holds up her phone so Esposito can see it from where he lurks over her shoulder. "Emily," she explains, though the photo is self-explanatory.

"Cute," he admits aloud, though it's only loud enough for the three of them to hear. He may have a little one of his own on the way and a serious soft spot for the littlest Castle, but he's under the impression that he still has a reputation to protect and cooing over baby pictures in the middle of the precinct is a sure way to ruin it.

"Aw! How sweet," coos Ryan, clearly having let go of any dreams of being perceived as a some sort of badass tough guy long before his two children joined the world.

Esposito gives a half hearted roll of his eyes at his partner's comment before reaching for the pen in Kate's hand. "You should get going, she's waiting for you."

Kate smiles, but shakes her head 'no'. "Dinner isn't for hours and I've got a lot of work to do. Besides, I'm guessing this means she hasn't napped today so maybe she'll tire herself out and catch some z's right there."

Esposito laughs, but disagrees with her. "Kate, you got the confession - with a little help, but still - I can finish things up here so you can go see your little girl. You too Ryan - I'm sure Jenny could use the help with your herd at her feet."

Ryan declines the offer, but even as he cites his early departure the year prior everyone knows he's enjoying the relative quiet of the precinct. He returns the offer to Esposito, who explains that Lanie is still working so there's really no point in him leaving yet. They both watch as a thought process is evident in Kate's features.

"Maybe I can have a nap," Kate mutters in realization, louder than she had intended. "I mean…" she backtracks when she catches the boys watching her, "maybe I should go home, give Castle a hand with dinner, entertain Emily while he cooks…"

"Crash for a few hours before everyone invades the Castle loft?" Ryan supplies with a smirk.

Kate narrows her eyes in warning as she begins to put on her coat. "Maybe I will," she quips, "afterall, I am a crazy, sleep deprived pregnant lady who's liable to go off at any minute." She smirks as both boys have the good sense to look guilty before wishing them a happy Thanksgiving and promising to bring leftover stuffing to share at lunch the next day.

* * *

Alexis stands in her kitchen, double checking her list of necessary supplies against the two full shopping bags in front of her. "Something is missing," she mutters, shuffling a bag's contents.

"Think you've got enough stuff there?" Pi asks, watching her from the table where he sits with his laptop open.

The redhead shakes her head, lets out a sigh. "No, not when I'm worried I'm forgetting something. Plus, it never hurts to have extra since Dad likes to snack while I bake."

"Tell me again why you aren't just making it here?" he asks, no longer bothering to look up from his keyboard.

"Because," she begins with a sigh, reluctantly moving the bags from the counter to the table by the door, "as awkward as being the bag lady is, it sure beats having to carefully pack pastries to bring on the subway. You'll be there in time for dinner, right?"

Pi nods, continues to focus on the screen in front of him. "Yep."

* * *

Kate drops Rick a quick text as she walks through the lobby of their building, wanting to know if she should beware of a human doorstop. She grins when she reads his reply of Yes, a live one at that.

As she reaches their door she knocks before pulling her keys from her pocket. She deliberately jingles the keys - has to be sure the human doorstop has moved before she swings the door open - before slipping them into the lock. She's barely opened the door when it's thrown open from the inside.

"Momma!" Emily cheers, tiny arms thrown around her mother's legs in celebration.

"Hi, beautiful," she returns, one hand stroking through her daughter's hazelnut curls as the other clutches her keys and purse. "Hey," she says to her husband as he joins them in the entryway, mouthing a quick thank you when he lifts their daughter to her so she can give the girl a real hug. "How was your day?" she asks the toddler, tracing a cheek with her fingers, noting small bags under her eyes. "Did you have a nap?" she asks, half to her daughter and half to her husband.

Castle gives a frown. "We tried, but it just wasn't happening today. She got a half hour at most."

Kate nods, having had the same issue a few days before while he was in a meeting with his publisher. She gives her daughter a quick look - a silent assessment of her current situation and smiles. "You know what I was thinking today when I was at work?" When she's answered with a shake of the young girl's head and a curious look she continues. "I was thinking it's been a long time since you and I read _Goodnight Moon_ together. How about you find it, and we can cuddle up and read before dinner?"

The little girl happily agrees, feet moving at a running pace before her father has even set her down on the floor.

"Think that'll work?" Castle asks, seizing their moment alone to tug Kate into a hug, kissing her sweetly.

"I sure hope so," she sighs, pushes back a misplaced hair on his forehead. "Honestly, I was hoping to get my own nap in before dinner."

He nods, runs a hand along the side of her expanding belly. "Baby giving you trouble?"

"Other than keeping me up last night with what had to have been soccer practice?" she laughs. "It was also a bit of a long day at work. Got a confession though. You are not going to believe what the boys told the suspect to get that bit of information out of him."

He grins in anticipation, laughing when his daughter wedges herself between her parents, book tucked tightly under her arm. "Tell me after _story_ time?" he requests with a wink.

* * *

Alexis pauses with a hand on the doorknob, quickly lets go as if she's been burned. The thing is, for all the 18 years she spent living in the loft, she's not sure if she should knock or just let herself in.

She opts for the middle - pushes the door open slowly, gently knocking on the door as she does so. Her Dad, in his apron of course, rounds the kitchen counter with a grin, grabs her in for the same kind of bone crushing hug he specializes in, plants a kiss on her cheek.

"Happy Thanksgiving," she says against his shoulder.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" he cheers, then cringes as he shoots a quick glance toward the stairs, raises a finger to his lips. "Beckett and Emily are taking a nap, so we'll have the kitchen to ourselves for a while. Here, let me take those."

She smiles, gladly hands over her overstuffed bags as she follows him into the kitchen.

"What exactly are you making that requires this much stuff?" he laughs, peeking through the contents of one bag.

"Tarts. I couldn't decide what kind, so I'm going to make 12 cherry cranberry, and 12 caramel apple."

"Oh," Castle says absently, hands busy unloading the contents of one overstuffed bag. "Does that mean you've got those little caramels in here somewhere?"

"Don't you have a turkey to baste?"

Castle takes the hint, busies himself with dishes for the main course, keeping his snacking to a minimum. A stealthy minimum.

"I saw that."

"Saw what?" Castle asks, feining innocence.

"I also saw the other four times," Alexis scolds, smirking as he at least has the decency to look embarrassed.

"They're just so tasty," he defends, popping yet another caramel into his mouth.

"Well, if you keep this up the tarts won't be half as tasty as they're supposed to be."

"Fair enough," he concedes, rounds the counter to put some distance between himself and the candy. Settling onto one of the barstools, he watches his daughter carefully. "Speaking of tarts...where's Pi?"

"Dad," she warns.

"Alright, terrible segue, I know, I'm sorry. I do stand by my question though. He's not working is he?"

"No. Sort of. He's at home doing some work on his laptop but he said he'd be here in time for dinner," she explains, carefully placing two full trays of tarts in the oven before setting the timer on her phone. "Those will be out in twenty minutes. Until then, I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from trying to sample them."

"What?" he scoffs, shaking his head. "When have I ever-"

"Dad, last year you sat at the dinner table with a cold pack in your mouth because you felt the need to sample the sugar pie _while_ it was baking."

He scrunches up his face, smacks his lips a few times. "Oh yeah…" he sighs at the painful memory. "Okay, I'll stay out of the tarts, if you'll tell me what's so important that Pi couldn't come spend the day with us here."

"He had work to do, Dad, let it go," she tells him, her exasperation showing only slightly as she helps herself to a drink from the fridge.

"I'm not buying it," he says simply, following her to the living room and slumping onto the sofa beside her. "He didn't come out for Beckett's birthday either."

"He had to work then too," she mutters.

"_Did_ he? Because it feels a _lot_ like-"

"Dad, can we please not talk about this today?"

He can see he's struck a nerve, and the protective father in him decides he needs to continue this line of questioning. "Alexis, if there's-"

"'lexis!"

They turn in unison to face the stairs, both smiling as Emily carefully takes the last few stairs before flying across the room, launching herself into her big sister's arms.

Alexis grins, squeezes the toddler with excitement. She waited a long time for a sibling and was certainly not disappointed with the first one she got. "Where've you been hiding all afternoon?"

Emily smiles, shoves her hair out of her eyes. "Momma read me '_Moon_ and I got the sleepies," she says simply.

Behind her, Castle grins. "Where's Momma now?"

"Sleepin'," she tells him with a quick look, before turning back to her sister. "Have to be quiet when Momma sleepin' so baby sleep too," she explains, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I see," Alexis whispers, leaning in conspiratorially. "I think I have an idea of how we can do that. But first, let me get dessert out of the oven, okay?"

* * *

Kate wakes to the sound of laughter - or, perhaps more accurately, giggles - filtering through the bedroom door. The patch of mattress her sleeping daughter occupied when she gave into her own exhaustion has gone cold. Looking at the clock, she's pleased with the amount of sleep she's been able to get in the middle of the afternoon, and hopes her daughter slept for a decent amount of time as well. Hauling herself up, she eyes the copy of Goodnight Moon on her bedside table with a smile. "Worked like a charm," she mumbles. A quick - well, as quick as she can manage in her current state - stop at the washroom and a change of clothes later, she emerges from the bedroom. From the top of the stairs the giggles are louder, and she can hear the gentle cadence of Rick's voice as he tries to tell the girls to quiet down. She smiles as she goes down the stairs to the living area.

The sound of her footsteps catches Alexis' attention and she gives Kate a sheepish look. "Sorry Beckett, we got a little carried away…"

Shaking her head, Kate smiles. "Don't worry about it, if I slept any longer I wouldn't have been able to get up for dinner."

"Momma, look!"

Her attention is drawn to Emily, who sits on the living room floor in the old shirt of Rick's that she wears as a smock when they do crafts. "What've you got there?"

"Birdy!" She cheers, pointing to what appears to be a brown construction paper turkey, and a pile of hand shapes cut from brightly coloured paper.

"I finished making dessert earlier than I had anticipated so we did some googling and found a craft we could do together," Alexis explains, holding up a picture of a completed turkey. "I think we have enough supplies to do a few of these, think Jim would like to take one home after dinner?"

Kate grins, nods. "I think he'd love that." With that, she leaves the girls to their crafts to join her husband in the kitchen. "Has she been awake long?"

"Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. When Alexis suggested the two of them do a craft to keep her out of your hair while you slept we both thought it would be a quiet activity and-"

"Castle, relax. There are far worse things to wake up to," she tells him, leaning into his side as she watches the two sisters work together to glue the hand shaped tail feathers on the turkey.

"Definitely," he nods, wrapping an arm around her as he watches too.

"Is Pi here?" she asks suddenly, looking around the loft.

"Not yet. Alexis said he had a few things to finish up at home but he should be by for dinner."

Kate nods but doesn't comment, simply begins assembling her usual stuffing. They've been doing this together a few years now - Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, Sunday breakfasts - cooking side-by-side, and they've found their rhythm in the kitchen. They move flawlessly through the kitchen, focusing on their respective tasks while maintaining easy conversation, pausing at shared lulls in prep work for quick, chaste kisses and embraces, watching on as their daughter listens carefully to her big sister's instructions, Castle taking every possible opportunity to run a hand along his wife's expanded belly.

"Tah dah!" Emily squeals, patting the last bit of construction paper into place. "Done!'

With a grin, Alexis picks up her sister with one arm, the opposite hand carefully taking hold of a paper turkey and walks into the kitchen. "We made five," she tells them, handing Kate the turkey.

"Wow!" Kate smiles, handing the turkey to her husband and rounding the kitchen island. "Emily, this is beautiful!" she tells her daughter, planting a noisy kiss on the girl's cheek.

"It is," Castle agrees. "Where are we going to put all of them?"

Emily hums, an almost cartoon-like expression on her face as she thinks, strokes her chin. "Papa. And Grams," she whispers.

Kate nods. "Papa and Grams will love these. Who else gets one?"

The toddler puts on her most thoughtful face once more - the adults all suppressing adoring laughs - before Alexis raises her free hand for the girl, wiggling three fingers. "You've got three more to share."

"Momma, Daddy, and 'lexis," the girl says simply, pointing to each of Alexis' remaining fingers.

"I get one?" Alexis asks surprised, watching as the little girl nods. "I think that will look great on my fridge, thank you." She plants a kiss on the toddler's cheek, moves to stand her up on a kitchen stool and helps her remove her makeshift smock.

"Dad and Martha should both be getting here soon," Kate comments, glancing at her watch. "Emily, we should start getting you ready for dinner."

"I could take care of that," Alexis offers, taking in the busy scene that is the kitchen. "I mean, you two have a few things happening here…"

Kate smiles, watches her daughter. "Do you think you can be good for Alexis and let her help you get changed?"

"Yup."

"Alright," Kate agrees.

Alexis smirks, knows from babysitting experience what getting the toddler dressed might entail, and helps her sister off the stool.

Kate waits until the girl is out of earshot before turning to Alexis. "Everything is laid out in her room. I got her some tights because they'll look nice with the dress, but if you can't get her to wear them don't worry about it."

With a laugh and a nod, Alexis follows after her sister. "Come on, Columbia girl, let's go get fancy!"

* * *

_I'd really love it if you'd hit that little review button..._


	3. Of Stuffed Mushrooms and Turkey

_A/N: First of all, let me thank all of you who have taken the time to favourite/follow this story. Also I really appreciate people leaving reviews as I'm sure I can use the feedback. To the anon reviewer with the comment re:location of bedroom in the loft - That was an intentional difference from the show, the reasons for which I hope are clearly explained in this chapter. Sad News, Kids: this is a shorter chapter. I thought it was going to be a monster like that last one, but...it isn't. On the upside, there'll be a new Castle family member in the next chapter so... that's something? Right?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, Just taking a few characters out to play._

_Finally I feel I should let everyone know I don't have a beta, so any mistakes are my own. _

* * *

Jim and Martha are the first to arrive, nearly running into each other as they both approach the doors to the building that houses Castle's loft. It's an easy ice breaker, a source of laughter as they ride the elevator up. Inside, they present the dishes they've both prepared - Jim, his usual crowd pleasing corn casserole; Martha, a broccoli concoction that went over surprisingly well last time she babysat Emily - before accepting the drinks Kate offers them. Emily appears at the bottom of the stairs, twirling and giggling as her grandparents admire her dress. There's a round of laughter as the girl pulls on a length of skirt, successfully showing everyone her new grownup socks. Kate shoots Alexis an impressed smile, the girl responding with a satisfied shrug before accompanying Kate to a corner of the kitchen.

"How'd you manage that?"

"It's a sister thing, I suppose. I told her that since she's going to be a big sister soon, she should start dressing like one, and before I knew it she was on the floor trying to find where to put her feet."

"Well," Kate laughs, "I'll have to remember to let you dress her come Christmas time."

"Deal," Alexis nods, rearranging her dessert on a tray.

Watching the redhead carefully, Kate pauses a moment, tries to make it sound as casual as possible. "So. Your Dad says Pi was working from home today?"

"Yeah," she nods, lets out a sigh. "Before you ask, I don't know why. He just hasn't really been into the family stuff lately."

Kate gives a small nod, clears her throat as she glances around, makes sure no one will over hear. "Has therapy been helping any?"

Alexis shrugs, turns to face her stepmother. "Sort of. We've only been going a couple weeks so the whole process is still a little awkward, but I've got a good feeling about it."

* * *

Pi arrives minutes before dinner is served bearing a plate of stuffed mushrooms that has Castle forcing a smile as he finds room on the table for them. He long ago accepted - to some degree, at least - Pi's lasting presence in his daughter's life, but every time he arrives to a dinner with some new fruitarian treat Castle cringes. He knows he'll hear about it later if he doesn't at least taste Pi's offering and simply the look of the mushrooms with their dark green filling has his stomach turning.

"Here we are!" Castle announces, settling the turkey in the last bare space on the table. The group passes dishes in what has become a well rehearsed dance until everyone has a full plate in front of them.

"Hey, Mrs. C, you didn't get any mushrooms," Pi observes, holding the tray out in Kate's direction.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Pi, you know how I love trying your fruitarian creations but this baby is just not into mushrooms," she says with a sigh and an affectionate hand on her belly. "Maybe next year," she smiles.

Rick watches from his spot at the head of the table, shooting his wife a not so subtle glare. He waits until everyone else is engrossed in conversation before leaning over her way. "I don't appreciate you using our child to get out things."

Kate laughs along with the rest of the group when Martha gets to the punchline of her latest audition story before turning ever so slightly to her husband. "You're just jealous," she whispers with a grin. When he scowls in reply she gives him a sympathetic look. "Maybe if you drown them in gravy?"

* * *

A series of groans are emitted as the Castle family retires to the living area.

"Never in my years have I eaten so much turkey," Martha sighs, stretching out in a chair. "I swear, this meal gets better every year."

Castle laughs, joining Kate at one end of the sofa. "Jim, how attached are you to the remains of that corn casserole? I happen to know it's even better reheated as a midnight snack."

Jim huffs out a laugh, raises his palms in surrender. "It's all yours Rick."

"Excellent," Castle sighs, wiggling his eyebrows at his wife. "How you doing over there?"

Groaning, Kate shifts as she tries to find a comfortable position. "Well, thanks to your mother and her broccoli," she begins, shooting her mother-in-law a half-hearted scowl, "I now have both a real baby _and_ a food baby in my belly." When the crowd laughs she shakes her head. "Seriously though, I have no idea how I'm going to get up those stairs to go to bed. Why'd we move up there again?"

"Because you wanted to be closer to Emily's nursery and by the time I convinced you we could move back downstairs you were pregnant again."

"Mmmm this is true…"

"Plus, the room down here makes for an exquisite guest suite," Martha grins. "I don't suppose I could call dibs on that one for Christmas this year yet, could I?"

Alexis laughs. "Sorry Grams, 'beat you to it."

"Stay in my room!" Emily cheers, leaping off her grandfather's lap in favour of sitting with her grandmother. "We can have supper party!"

Beaming at her younger granddaughter, Martha nods. "I think you mean slumber party, and that would be lovely."

"Daddy, I need more bed for Grams."

The group can do nothing but chuckle as Castle promises to work something out. Alexis watches as Pi politely smiles and nods, checks the time on his phone. She rolls her eyes, turns her focus to where her sister has moved to sit between her parents, chattering about how she's sure the baby is a little sister, but if it's a brother she _'sposes_ that's okay too.

"I hate to be the first to leave but I'm afraid it's about time for me to head on out," Jim says with a sigh. "It's been a long week at the office and the turkey is not helping matters."

"Oh, okay Dad, here I'll walk you out," Kate begins, legs swinging as she tries to right herself from where she's sunken into the cushions of the couch.

Grinning, Jim shakes his head. "I don't think so, Katie." He plants a kiss on his daughter's brow, even as she frowns. "I'll see you for lunch next week though. Alexis, Pi, need a ride?"

Alexis smiles, grateful for the offer, before groaning inwardly as Pi all but jumps out of his chair.

"Thanks, Mister B, that would be great," Pi tells him, already halfway to the door to collect his coat.

Taking a deep breath, Alexis puts on a happy face, makes the rounds. Martha rises out of her chair, plants a loud, dramatic kiss on either cheek. Castle is equally enthusiastic, lifting his daughter off her feet in a squeezing hug that has them both chuckling. Emily stands on the sofa, throwing her arms around her sister, howling with laughter as Alexis twirls them twice before settling the girl back in her seat.

"I think maybe we should skip the lifting this year," Kate tells her with a wink.

"If you say so," Alexis shrugs, smiling as she accepts a hug from Kate in her seated position before joining Pi and Jim at the door.

The group has just barely heard the _ding_ of the elevator when Castle drops the leftover mushrooms in the kitchen trash can with a resounding _thud_.

* * *

Alexis counts the stairs to her apartment as she climbs them, reminds herself to take cleansing breaths, keep her cool at least until they get inside. Pi trails behind, tossing his keys from one hand to the other. Reaching their door Alexis steps aside, lets Pi do the honour before following him in, being sure to lock and chain the door behind her.

She can't get into this right now, she tells herself, so instead she shuts herself in the washroom. Runs the faucet, splashes her face, frowns into the mirror at her raccoon eyes and vows never to buy mascara in a hurry again. Sighing, she sets about removing her make up, figures she was going to have to do that sometime tonight anyway.

When she emerges she finds Pi in the kitchen - already changed into his pyjama pants - and guzzling juice straight from the carton.

"I have a question," she blurts, slumping into a chair at their kitchen table.

Pi offers a grunt in return, taking the seat across from her, juice still in hand.

"What do you have against my family?" She watches, cuts him off when she can tell he's about to deny it. "It must be something. You refused to come with me to Beckett's birthday dinner, you did come tonight," she concedes when she can see he's about to point that out, but quickly changes her tone. "You did come tonight, but you showed up barely in time for dinner, and then checked your phone the entire time like you couldn't wait to get out of there."

Pi turns his head side to side, rubs at a sore muscle in his neck as he rolls his eyes. "I'm not big on the family stuff, you know that."

Alexis is already shaking her head. She knows that despite his apparent happy-go-lucky attitude, he did struggle a couple years ago with the realization that her father wasn't as easily charmed as he'd hoped. That said, she also knows he's since found a common ground with her father in the form of taste in movies and this hasn't been an issue in years. She tells him so, expresses her disappointment in their early departure from her father's thanksgiving gathering.

He nods, apologizes, though he doesn't offer a further explanation. Tired, they both agree to bring it up in their next therapy session.

It's less than what she'd like, because what she'd like is to be a part of a relationship where family and holidays and friday nights are simple, but she'll take it. It's a step, she knows, and hopes it's a step towards where she wants them to be.

* * *

_Comments?_


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